Coupling.



J. 0. MARTIN.

COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.23,1912.

1,079,253, Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Jamm Witnesses I iwentor' aflM Attorne JOHN O. MARTIN, 0F LINCOLN, ILLINOIS.

COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Application filed August 23, 1912. Serial No. 716,773.

To all whom it in (13 concern Be it known that I, J on: O. l\lAIlTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Logan. and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Coupler, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the stand ard draw head or M. C. B. coupler, and aims to generally improve couplers of that class.

Among its various objects, the present invention aims to provide a draw head embodying the usual knuckle, with novel means for locking the knuckle when the couplers of two cars are brought together.

It is also the object of the present invention to provide means whereby the knuckle will swing open when unlocked, so as to facilitate the recoupling of the draw heads of two cars.

This invention also has for its object to provide simple and eflicient means whereby the draw head may shift to one side or the other and whereby the same will settle or gravitate to a normal central or coupling position when free.

This invention contemplates carrying out the foregoing objects in such a manner as to render the coupler extremely simple in construction, therefore rendering the manufacture thereof cheap and practical, there being no parts to get out of order, and the coupler possessing durability and eflicicncy.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the in vention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters have been employed to denote corresponding parts, and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the coupler, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a sec tional view taken on the line 2*? of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a fragmeutal detail. Fig. 4 1s a perspective view of the knuckle, parts being broken away. Fig. .3 is a transverse section taken through the draw bar of the draw head and its carrier.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the

numeral 6 designates generally the draw head which is provided with the chamber or recess 7. This draw head has one side thereof extended into the usual arm 8 and has the upper and lower ears 9 and 9, respectively, projecting from its other side as customary in standard practice. The draw head 6 is also provided with the usual draw bar 10, a partition 11 being provided between the draw bar 10 which is hollow and the chamber 7 of the draw head. The knuckle has been designated by the numeral 12, the same having its hub disposed between the ears 9 and 9.

In carrying out the present invention, the inner arm 13 of the knuckle is provided with an inner rabbet 14 at its free end, and a latch plate 15 is suspended within the chamber 7 for vertical swinging movements in order to engage the rabbet 14 when the knuckle is swung inward. This latch plate 15 is suspended from a rod 16 journaled transversely through the sides of the draw head adjacent the top thereof, the latch being rigid with the said rod in order to turn therewith. The ends of the rod 16 are also bent angularly in order to provide hand holds for facilitating raising the latch 15. \Vhen the knuckle is swung inward, the arm 13 thereof is adapted to strike the latch 15 so as to swing the latch inwardly and upwardly, the free end of the arm 13 passing below the rod 16 and striking the corresponding side of the draw head in which event, the latch 15 will drop and engage the end of the arm 13 so as to lock the knuckle in closed position. The arm 13 may be released by swinging the latch 15 upwardly by means of the hand hold 17.

The latch 15 is normally prevented from swinging upwardly excessively by means of a spring 18 depending from the top of the draw head in rear of the latch and having its free end coiled as designated by the numeral 19 so as to lie in the path of the free end of the latch. The free end of the latch is therefore adapted to strike the coiled portion 19 of the spring 18 when the latch is swung upward, thereby preventing excessive upward movement of the latch, but should the latch be lifted manually by means of the hand holds 17, the free end thereof is adapted to flex the spring 18 rearwardly into a recess 20 provided in the partition 11, so that the latch 15 may pass above the coiled portion 19 of the spring and be locked in such position. In this manner, when the latch is swung upwardly manually, the same may be retained in such position, that it will not lock the knuckle, and the knuckle will thus be free to open and close without danger of coupling. It must be observed in this connection that the latch is adapted to engage and lock the arm 13 of the knuckle against the respective side of the draw head when the latch hangs vertically, the said arm of the knuckle being adapted to swing past the latch when the latch is swung upwardly against the coil 19. The said coil lies in the path of the free portion of the latch, and serves to limit the upward swing of the latch when normal force is applied thereto, the coil however, being adapted to yield and lock the latch in inactive position against the top of the draw head when sufficient force is applied to the latch. It will thus be noted that when the knuckle is thrown inwardly by the coupling operation, the coil 19 will serve to prevent it from swinging into locked position against the top of the draw head, in order that the latch will again swing downwardly to lock the knuckle in position. It will also be noted that when the latch is swung upwardly with ordinary force by the brakeman, the free portion of the latch engaging the coil 19 will prevent further upward movement of the latch, unless the brakeman wishes to lock the latch in inactive position, in which event he applies additional force to the rod so as to cause the coil 19 to yield and then snap under the free portion of the latch. It will be noted that when the knuckle is swung inwardly, the latch being free, the free end of the arm 13 of the knuckle will be held between the corresponding side of the head and the end of the latch, so that the tension on the knuckle will exert a compressive strain on the latch 15, such strain being readily resisted by the latch, and the latch being readily opened while under compression, so that the coupler may be opened, while the train is at a standstill or when in motion.

The hub of the knuckle 1'2 and the lower car 9' are provided with the respective helical faces 21 and 21' which cooperate with each other and which provide the respective shoulders 22 and 22'. The shoulders 22 and 2'2 are so arranged, that they are spaced apart when the knuckle is swung inwardly and locked, and the helical faces 21 and i l cooperating with each other cause the knuckle to gravitate to open position when the same is free, the shoulders 22 and 22 being adapted to abut when the knuckle has swung to open position. In this manner, as soon as the knuckle is free, the same will gravitate to open position so as to facilitate the recoupling. The pivot pin or bolt 23, as usual, passes through the ears 9 and 9' and the hub of the knuckle 12 in order to pivot the knuckle between the two cars, the inner arm 13 of the knuckle being designed to swing into the chamber of the draw head and against one side thereof as indicated above.

The carrier has been designated by the numeral 24', the same being carried by the car body and loosely embracing the draw bar 10, the draw bar 10 having a transverse V-shaped depending lug 25 received by a longitudinal V-shaped groove 26 in the bottom of the carrier. The lug in working in the groove 26 permits the draw head to shift to one side or the other as the train is rounding a curve, or due to other conditions, and when the draw head is free, the same will settle or gravitate to central or coupling position.

It will be observed, that the means for normally opening the knuckle when free and for causing the draw head to settle to a central or couplin position do not require the employment 0 springs or other suitable parts, but simply operate by gravity, which highly desirable.

This coupler may be constructed according to standard practice, and it will be apparent that the objects aimed at have been carried out in a satisfactory manner, the present coupler providing a desirable one for the purposes for which it is designed. The couplers of two cars are designed to engage each other, either if one knuckle is open or if both knuckles are open, and the same cannot uncouple without freeing one or the other of the latches, and it is not necessary for the train to be backed up prior to uncoupling. The other advantages of the present invention will be manifest from the foregoing taken in connection with the drawings.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A coupler embodying a chambered draw head, a knuckle pivoted to the same, one arm of the knuckle being adapted to swing into the draw head against one side thereof, a latch hung within the draw head and adapted to engage and lock the said arm of the knuckle against the said side of the draw head when the latch hangs vertically, means for swinging the latch. and a yielding member within the head lying in the path of the free portion of the latch and serving to limit the upward swing of the latch when normal force is applied thereto, the said arm of the knuckle being adapted to swing past the latch when the latch is swung upwardly against the yielding member, and the said member being adapted to yield and lock the latch in inactive position against the top of the draw head when sufficient force is applied thereto.

2. A coupler embodying a chambered draw head, a knuckle pivoted to the same, one arm of the knuckle being adapted to swing into the draw head against one side thereof, an actuating rod journaled through the sides of the draw head adjacent the top a latch carried by the rod to engage and lock the said arm of the knuckle against the said side of the draw head when the latch hangs vertically, and a spring depending from the top of the draw head and having its free end coiled, the coil lying in the path of the tree portion of the latch and serving to limit the upward swing of the latch when normal force is applied thereto, the said arm of the knuckle being adapted to swing past the latch When the latch is swung upwardly against the coil, and the coil being adapted to yield and lock the latch in inactive position against the top of the drawhead when sutlicient force is applied thereto.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN O. MARTIN. lVitnesses:

C. E. KNoRR, DAVID W. CLARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

